Valve spring compressing tool



Feb. 7, 1933. F. HUND VALVE SPRING COMPRESSING TOOL Filed Jan. 29, 1952 INVENTOR.

fanz Hund ATTORNEY,

Patented Feb. 7, 1933 FRANZ lHUND, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO VALVE SPRING COMPRESSING TOOL Application mea January Vaa, 1932. sri'ai- No.' 559,671.

Thisin vent-ion relates to tools, particularly the hand-operatedv mechanics toolsy forv re'- lieving the pressure of internal combustion engine valvesprings.

AsV is Well known, the valves of internal combustion engines are maintained upon their seatsby springs and when it is desired to relieve the pressure of the spring for'any purpose in connection With inspecting or repairing the engine, some forni of a force multiplying tool must be employed to overcome the great resilient force exerted'by the spring. Y

In some types of internal combustion engines such as thoseY used tov propel airplanes, an overhead rocker arm is employed to operate the' valves, the armrbeing rocked by the thrust of a longitudinal-ly movable camoperated push rod, and the thrust of the rod being transmitted through the rocker arm to compress the valve spring and to open the valve.

In the practice of inspecting and caring for such airplane engines,v it is frequently necessary to remove the said push rodto examine and/or to lubricate the samea and'v in order to effect this operation, the valve springr must be compressed to'relieve the longitudinal partsto be engaged by the tool anddue to other causes which will be understood by those skilled in this art, t0ols heretofore employed for this purpose frequently slip when the relativel'j7 great forces necessary to compress the spring are applied thereto, and' such slippage often occurs whilethe operatori is inthe act of removing or inspecting'the push rodE andthe sudden releaseof the spring thus effectedl andthe extremely rapid" movement of the same andl of the partsv associatedy theref- Withhave heretofore caused serious injury to mechanics either by the shock of contact with suchV suddenly releasecland` 4rapidly moving part, orasinsome instances occurs, by the pinching of the mechanics hand or finger between portions o-f the relieved rocker arm and'pushrod'. It` is'therefore one of the objects of -this invention to provide a tool" adaptedto be applied to internal combustion engines'such as airplanev engines' to compress the valve 6o spring thereof' and to correspondingly relieve they push rod? thereof which Will be eflicientandconvenientto use and operating inan improved manner.

Another' object of my invention isI tolprolV k65 vide such av tool which may befput inposi-V tion to effect its said operation andthen secured in said position by conveniently operable means` to prevent accidentaldise placement from-'said position. 7o

Another object is to provide such a tool i f Which,4 after having performed its valve spring-compressing operation, may be, by mea-ns of associated` convenientlyV operated parts, maintained in'said: positiony whereby 75 both handswof the usermay be free to per'- form the Work of repairs or'ins'pection to effectzWhich-the spring is compressed. Y f Another Objectis to providegenerally an improved hand-operated tool for relieving so combustion engines.

Another; object 'is to provide'a toolofth'e class just referredtohaving auxiliaryv means to maintain theftool in valvespringtensionrelieving position: Other objects; Willbe apparent to those skilled inthearttowhich my 'invention appertains.

the tension ofl the, valve4 springs of internal inventionifs full'yfdisclosed in thefrf'ol'- 90V lowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a tool embodying my invention and showing one mode of its application to an internal combustion engine to compress a valve spring thereof, and showing in connection with the valve spring, a mode of relieving the longitudinal thrust on a push rod of the valve mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken from the plane 2 of Fig. l'and drawn to a. larger scale;

Fig. 3 is a view taken from the plane 3 of Fig. 1 and drawn to the scale' of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a modification. 'i

Referring to the drawing, I have shown in relatively light lines' a partV of the housing and valveconstruction of an internal combustion engine such as an airplane engine and comprising a housing 1, a valve 2 having a valve stem 63 longitudinally reciprocable in the housing. The valve 2 is adapted to be forceably resiliently held against the 4valve seat 3 by a compression helical spring construction shown generally at 4. The valve vstem is provided with a spring compressing head 5 terminating upwardly in a ball 6 seated in a lsocket 7 on the end of an arm 8 of a'roclrer arm 9 pivotally supported on suitable bearings at 1() and having aY relatively short arm 8. n V The arm 8 is provided with socket 11 1n which may be seated the ball 12 formed or provided on the upper end of a push rod 13, thelowcr end of which is not shown but which, in a manner well known. to those Y skilled in this art, communicates with ,a cam or .like device which periodically gives` an upward longitudinal thrust to the rod 13.

-- By this construction as is well known, an upward thrust on the rod 13 will reck the rocker arm 9 clockwise around its plvot 10 and through the ball and socket joint 6-7 give a downward thrust to the' valve stem63 to open-,the valve 2-7-3 against compressive force of the spring 4; and when the thrust on the push rod 13 is relieved, the spring 4 will retract to forcethe valve 2 upwardly against its seat 3 and to rock the arm 9 ,counterclockwise maintaining the ball and socket joint 12-11 in constantv mutually engaged condition.

In the construction illustrated, a lubricant nipple 14 is provided in the end ofthe arm 8 to admit lubricant to the ball and socket joint 6-7, and preferably the nipple 14V is of the type having an upwardly extending generally conical tip 15 for the reception of the nozzleof the lubricant gun.

As will be understood, both ball and socket joints 6+7 and 11-12 are,l in the normal` operation of the mechanism, `maintained in pressure engagement with each other by the reaction of the spring 4, the ball and socket joint 11-12 being illustrated in relieved or disassociated position for a purpose to be described.

In engine housings of the general type illustrated in the drawing, an overhanging cover 16 is provided, generally integral with the housing 1, and overhanging the rocker arm 9 or a portion thereof. A chamber indicated generally at 17 is thus provided for housing the rocker arm 9 and its associated parts just described, and an open side of the chamber, indicated at 18, may be closed by a removable cover in a well known manner.

` -Tlie tool embodying my invention is illus- Vtool 20 comprises a straight handle portion 21 bent as at 22 generally U-shaped and havin a` lever portion 23 formed from the leg of the U opposite the handle portion 21. rIhe lever portion 23 is relatively short and toward the end thereof may be tapered as indicatedat 24. Preferably, the tool thus far described is made from round steel stock and the tapered portion 24 is provided by flattening the leg 23 on its inner side. f

If desired, but not essentially, the bend of the tool indicated at 22 may be strengthened Ato prevent divergence .or convergence of the legs 20 and 23 by a tie portion 26.

One suitable manner of applying the tie portion 26 is by the welding process. On the underside of the leg 23 as viewed in the drawing and relatively remote from the outer Yend of the leg 23 I provide a recess 28 and adjacent thereto a projection or nipple 29.

Mounted on the straight handle portion 21 is a slider 30 comprising a hollow tubular portion 31 telescoped with and slidable upon the handle portion 21 and having a depending web 32 terminating atits lower end in a generally outwardly concave segmentally tuy preferably serrated transversely as shown at 35. The handle portion 21 is provided laterally thereof with a plurality of ratchet teeth 36 and cooperating therewith is a pawl 37 formed on the end of a lever 38 pivotally mounted as at 39 between a pair of lugs 40-40 extending laterally from the tubular portion 31 of the slider. The lever 38 is provided with a handle portion 41, suitably formed to be engaged by a thumb or finger of the user, and a spring 42 abutting at one end upon the underside of the lever 38 and at its other end upon the wall ofthe tubular portion 31, maintains the lever 38 rotated around the Vpivot bearing 39 to engage the pawl 37 in the ratchet teeth 36.

In the operation of my invention thus far described, the operator grasps it by the handle portion 21 or by both the handle portion 21 and the bend portion 22 and inserts the tapering leg 2li thereof through the opening indicated at 18 and above the rocker arm 9 until the end of the leg 23 engages the housing 1 as at 50 on the inner face vof the overhanging housing portion 1 6. 'Ihe bend 22 is then loweredfor, that is to say, rocked clock,-l wise around the point 50 until the recess 23 of the tool is engaged by the nipple portion of the lubricating nipple 14. The operator then exerts an upward pull on the handle portion 21 which rocks the tool around the point 50 and exerts a downward thrust on the lubricant nipple 14 and therefore a clockwise torque on the rocker arm 9 and compresses the spring 4. This places the parts in the position shown in the drawing with the eX- ception of the slider 30, the handle portion 2l having been moved from the broken line position to the solid line position. i

The operator now, while holding the lever in its spring-compressing position, moves the slider 30 along on the handle portion 21 toward the bend 22' and until one or both ot the jaws 34 engage or wedgingly jam upon a portion of the housing 1, such position being illustrated in the drawing. During this sliding movement of the slider 30, the pawl lever 38 may be depressed against the spring 42 and at the end of the said sliding operation the pawl lever 38 may be released to engage the pawl 37 with a suitable tooth or tooth space 36 to prevent backward movement of the slider 30. Or, as an alternative mode of operation, the shape of the tooth spaces between the teeth 36 and the shape of thepawl 37 may be so correlatively provided that upon the above mentioned sliding movement given to it by the slider 30, the pawl 37 will ratchet over the teeth 36 and at the'end of the sliding movement automatically drop into the nearest adjacent space between they teeth 36 and locking the slider 30 against rearward slipping movement.

The operator may now release the force on the handle 21 and inasmuch as the slider will prevent counter-clockwise rotation of the tool as a whole around the point 50, it will be maintained in a clockwise position maintaining the spring 4 compressed.

Vith the rocker arm 9 in its clockwise rotated position illustrated, the ball o the push rod 13 is relieved from the socket 11 and the push rod may be removed in a well known manner to inspect and/or lubricate or replace the same according to well known practice.

Upon removing the tool by the reverse of the operations above described, that is, by trst removing the slider and then permitting the handle 21 to be moved counter-clockwise around the point 50 by the spring 4, the ball andv socket joints may again be seated uponv each other without shock and the tool ulti- `socket mately removedin a understood.

It will be observed that while the .tool is being applied to the operation of compressing the spring 4, the operators hands may be entirely out of the danger hereinbefore referred to, and after the tool hasV been locked in its operative position, it is prevented from accidentally tipping sidewise or slipping from its installedV position, and the operator is free to use both handsy in his repair or inspection work.

In Fig. l I have illustrated the application of my tool to rocker arms 9 in which the 7 is lubricated simply by a duct 14', the upper end of which may be enlarged as at 15', and the above mentioned projection or manner that will be Vnipple 29 on` the tool may be inserted into the Otherwise `the operation 1. In a tool of the class described, an iinequal legged U-shapedv body, a portion ofthe short leg adjacent the U-bend being adapted to engage a portion of a valve construction, a head slidable on the long leg and having a jaw portion overlapping the short leg.

2. In a tool of the class described, an unr equal legged U-shaped body, a portion ofthe short leg adjacent the U-bend being adapted to engage a portion of a valve construction,

`a head slidable on the long leg and having a pawl and ratchet device on thev long leg and head to removably iX the position of the head onV the said leg longitudinally thereof. 3. In a tool of the class described, a

U-shaped body comprising a long leg and a short leg, the long leg constituting a'handle, the short leg being adapted to be` inserted into an internal combustion engine valve housing and to engage its end upon an inner `overhan-ging portion of the housing, and

being provided with al non-slipping valve construction vengaging portion spaced from said end, a head slidably mountedv on the long leg and having a laterally projecting jaw portion movable into engagement with *20 an external portion of the housing to maintain the-handleY in spaced relation to the housing. v

LIn a tool of the class described, a

short leg', the long leg constituting a handle,

`the short leg being adapted to be inserted fioo `U-shaped body comprising a long leg and a v'ing provided with a non-slipping valve conoverhanging portion of the housing, and being provided with a non-slipping valve construction engaging portion spaced from said l bustion engine valve housing and to engage its end upon an inner overhanging portion of the housing, and being provided With a non-slipping valve construction engaging portion spaced from said end, a head slid-1 ably mounted on the long leg and having a laterally projecting jaw portionl movable into engagementrvvith an external portion of the housing to maintain the handle in spaced relation to the housing.

In testimony whereof lie hereunto aiixes his signature 4this 26th day of January, 1932.

v FRANZ HUND.

end, a head slidably mounted on the long leg j and having a laterally projecting jaw portion movable into engagement with an eXternal portion of the housing to maintain the handle in spaced relation to the housing, and inter-engaging locking ports on the head and 4handle operable to prevent movement of the head on the handle in one direction.v

6. In a tool of the class described, a vlJ-` shaped body comprising a long leg and a short leg, the long leg constituting a handle, the short leg being adapted to be inserted into an internal combustion engine valve housing and to engage its end upon an inner overhanging portion of the housing, and being provided with a non-slipping valve construction engaging portion spaced from said end, a head slidably mounted on the long leg and having a laterally projecting javv portion movable into engagement with an eX- ternal portion of the housing to maintain the handle in spaced relation to the housing, and .40

inter-engaging locking parts on the head and handle operable to prevent movement of the head on the handle in the direction avvayV rom the bend.-

7. In a tool of the class described, a U- I shaped bodycomprising a long leg andy a short leg, the long leg constituting a handle, the short leg being adapted to be inserted into an internal combustion engine valve housing and to engage its end upon an inner overhanging portion of the housing, and being provided With a nonslipping valve construction engaging portion spaced from said end, a head slidably mounted on the long leg and having a laterally 'projecting jaw portion movable into engagement With an external portion of the housing to maintain the handle in spaced relation to the housing, and a ratchet mechanism on the head and ,handle operable to prevent movement of the leg constituting a handle, the short leg being adapted to be inserted into an internalcom- 

